The lowly company card : we don’t give it another thought before we get the thing printed up, and we simply do what everybody else does. A lot of men and women, new in business, get the business card published before they’re ready to, which causes many of the mistakes that I list under. In both cases, experienced or new, we are missing substantial opportunities to allow your business card take some of their work off your own shoulders. We may take it for granted, but I feel your business card is among the most important pieces of marketing collateral, and the most under-utilized.

Here are my suggestions for ways to get your company card working as hard as you do. If you would like to play together, pull out your business card and see whether your card is guilty of any of these first four no-no’s.

1. Missing email. Believe it or not, many of the cards I get via media meetings are missing email addresses. This is most common with new business owners and people in the personal care business, but still, there’s no excuse.

2. An email address that ends with , , , or your ISP’s domain. Everyone in business for themselves needs to use their own domain (like @). This is free advertising of your web site, so why are you advertising Yahoo!, Comcast, or AOL rather than yourself? Advertising a free email account as your business email is just plain unprofessional.

3. Glossy cards you can not write on. Okay, this is my pet peeve. It’s true, you are able to get these cards printed for free online. That sends a loud message that you don’t have the money for business cards and that you do everything on the cheap. That’s not what I want people to consider my business.

4. A web site address printed on the card that is not up yet. While I get a business card out of you, I’m very likely to see your web site to find out more. If it does not come up, it tells me one of two things: you either didn’t pay your hosting business or webmaster, or you haven’t gotten to this project yet. Both are bad messages to ship.

Okay, how do you do? These are very basic, so if you’ve been in business for a couple of years, you’re likely doing well. So today let us ask if your business card looks like it is from a small operation or a Fortune 500 company. How about these little company no-no’s?

5. Missing job name. Every business card should list your project title, especially if you are President or CEO.

6. Photo of you personally. This is tell-tale little business. I disagree with some men and women who believe that it helps during networking; you can visit the web site and view their image there. A picture takes up precious card real estate and screams “self” It’s just not the most effective thing to get in your card.

7. No logo. Every company needs a logo for branding its image.

8. Clip art. Your logo needs to be the sole art on your own card.

9. Weird shape. I don’t feel the way to stand out is via odd colors or shape of your business card.

Today, let us get to what really matters: the promotion. Here are some things to consider that very few others do this will help your outcomes together with prospects:

10. One phone number. Prospects may get confused about what number to call. List just one, or make it clear when to call what amount. Do not keep us guessing.

11. The business you’re in. Should you said nothing and passed your business card into a stranger and asked them what business you are in, could they figure out it? Otherwise, neither can your prospect. Ensure that your tag line or company name clearly describes the business you are in and if it does not, you’ll need to add something in your card that does.

12. Things to do next. Get prospects into your funnel by telling them exactly what to do next right on your own business card. Can they get a complimentary consultation? A free white paper? Make it clear on the card they may register for another step to get to know you.

How would you do? I hope you passed, and should not, I see a trip to your printer on your near future.